Machine for digging, removing, and smoothing dirt, gravel, and the like



Sept; 18, 1934. I H, R, 1,974,19Q MACHINE FOR DIGGING, REMOVING, AND SMOOTHING DIRT, GRAVEL, AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 26, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 mg Q.

InveW/Zm By his lllorney s H. R. MILLER 1,974,190

GRAVEL, AND IHE LIKE Sept 18, 1934.

MACHINE FOR DIGGING, REMOVING, AND SMOOTHING DIRT,

Filed Dec- 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 III I B H. R. MILLER Sept. 18, 1934.

MACHINE FOR DIGGING, REMOVING, AND SMOOTHING DIRT, GRAVEL, AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec 26, 1931 l l I I l l I l l l l l ll Inve %:Bg hisAi/iorn egs Sept. 18, 1934. I H. R. MILLER 4 1 MACHINE FOR DIGGING, REMOVING, AND SMOOTHING DIRT, GRAVEL, AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 26, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gin In v 177mm? Patented Sept. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES 7 1,924,190v "MACHINE" son DIGGING, REMOVING, AND

SMOOTHING DIRT,

LIKE

GRAVEL, AND THE Hans R. Miller, Fergus Falls, Minn.

Application December 26, 1931,-S.erial No. 583,182

7 Claims.

This invention relates to machinery for excavating, cutting and removing earth or dirt and more particularly to machines of the type employing an endless excavating mechanism or a wheel equipped with buckets or shovels or other means for cutting and removing the dirt.

Machinery of this general type has been eX- tensively utilized for excavating or cutting belowthe level of the ground on which the machine supported,but such machinery has not been adapted for usein cutting and removing banks or material disposed above. the supporting surface over whichthe machine, travels.

It isan object of my invention to. provide an improved digging, and excavating machine, for use in .removingdirtand material either above or below the level of the ground on which the machine is supported .and for further digging and removing dirt when the machine is driven either forwardly or rearwardly.

It is a further object to provide digging-and and. discharge material when driven either in clock-wise or counter clock-wisedirections and which may be conveniently associated with a vehicle or tractor for traveling over a right-of-way, vhighway or other piece of land.

It is a further object toprovide a highly efficient dirt moving and excavating machine especially designed for road building and the like;

and discharge theydirt or material planed. My i machine as disclosed includes aback sloping and planing element which-is mounted inadvance of the endless excavating mechanism and which, if

the excavating mechanism is not in operation for cutting and removing dirt, ,may be connected with the wheel or endless carrier member :ofthe excavating mechanism to enable the back sloping or v planing element to be adjusted in angulation during planing or'back slopingoperations through short operations of said endlesscarrier member.

Another object is to provide in dirt removing and excavating machinerymeans for varying to. a

limited extent the angulation of an endless excavating member with reference to the frame of the-tractor or vehicle on which said mechanism is mounted therebyenabling-an inclined cut-or bank 3 .to-be effected.

These and other objects and .advantag-esof the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying, drawings, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which: Fig.v l is atop plan view of an embodiment of my invention, some portions of the endless excavating member being broken away and showing my back sloping mechanism operatively positioned to slope a bank and move the dirt in posi tions to be collected andremovedby means of the excavating, wheel disposed at the. rearthereof Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken approxi mately along the. line 2-2 of Fig. 1. showing the machine, with the exception of the excavatingand digging wheel and its supporting mechanism in side elevation;

. Fig. 3 is a cross section taken substantially along the line 3-.3 of Fig.2, the dotted lines indicating the position of the back. sloping and planing memhers when the machine ,is operated as a planer; Fig. 4 is'a detailside elevation on a larger: scale showing a segment of the excavating wheel with a pair of. the shovels or. .bucketathe dotted lines indicating the shifted position ofthe buckets or shovels for digging when thewheel is driven'in a counter clock-wise direction with the tractor ,or

vehicle traveling rearwardly;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken substantially along the line 5-5 of-Fig. 4, but, however, showing one of the buckets or shovels in a midway position between the two operative positions;

Fig. dis a top plan view ofone of the shovelsor buckets detached;

Fig. 7:is a vertical sectional view through the I inner or attached "end ,of the back sloper and planing mold-board showing the rear or attachment end of the.mold-board-supporting beam and also showing the manner in which the said mold board may be reversed; and

Fig. his a detailrear-elevationshowing the attachment bracket for the back slopen'moldboard and its connection withthe-supporting beam.

My improvements in dirt removing and excavating machines include the provision of a digging and excavatingv mechanism of the driven endless or wheel type mounted on an adjustable overhanging-support at one of the longitudinal sides of atractor-or vehicle and disposed outwardly of the tracks, wheelsor other supporting means, to enable dirt, gravel and the like to .be dug and removed atthe side of the vehicle either; above or below the level of the ground on which the. tractor or :vehicle. is supported.

. My digging mechanismas shown includes a series of circumferentially arranged buckets or shovels adapted to cut, remove and elevate dirt and the like both when the endless carrier member of wheel is driven in clockwise or counter 5 clockwise direction. As shown, said buckets are provided with oppositely disposed cutting edges and are shiftable automatically by reversing the driving of the wheel to properly position the same with regard to the direction of rotation of the endless carrier member. I do not, however, limit myself to the use of shiftable dirt digging elements, but contemplate the use of any digging or plowing elements which will successfully op erate regardless of the direction of revolution of the carrier member.

I closely associate with said digging mechanism a planer or back sloper which also extends outwardly of said longitudinal side of the vehicle directly in front of the digging mechanism in such manner that a bank may be sloped or material planed thereby and the removed dirt directed to the digging mechanism which then acts as an elevator for this material. Further cooperation between the back sloper and digging mechanism is present in the provision of an actuating means for adjusting the angulation of the back sloper during certain operations thereof. In such operations the wheel or carrier member is normally stationary and may be momentarily connected for driving through short oscillations to act as a crank or power adjustment for the back sloper. Other cooperative functions of the back sloper and'digging mechanism will be hereafter explained.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated 'in the drawings my improved mechanism is associated with a conventional type of tractor, some portions of which are shown including one of the endless tracks T and including a rectangular frame indicated as an entirety by the letter F which is supported on the main tractor frame and constitutes a frame work for a large hopper H. The hopper as shown is provided with a bottom comprising an endless dumping conveyor D ,of the structure disclosed in my Patent No.

1,942,034, patented January 2, 1934:, entitled Road building machine. A detailed description of the hopper and its associated mechanism is unnecessary inasmuch as, it constitutes no important part ,of my present invention.

' My excavating and cutting mechanism as Well as my improved back sloping mechanism is supported from the tractor and as shown, from the frame work of the hopper and is disposed exte- 5 riorly at one of the longitudinal sides thereof.

To this end a pair of strong vertical standards 10 are rigidly secured to the left hand side of the tractor and hopper frames. As shown the hopper H is provided with a longitudinal lower 2- beam 11 (see Fig. 3) to the horizontal web of "which the upright standards 10 are secured by suitable means such as heavy angle brackets 12- which are adjustably clamped by bolts 12a to attachment plates 13 which have slotted outwardly extending portions through which the clamp- -ing bolts 12a extend. The lower ends of standards 10 are connected by bolts 14 with an H- beam 15 (see Fig. 3) which is in turn rigidly secured to a heavy depending plate 16 rigidly secured to the tractor frame and shielding one of the tracks T and its associated mechanism. The upper end of each standard 10 as shown is rigidly secured to a diagonal brace angle 17, which brace angles traverse the top of hopper H and are adjustably secured at their inner ends (see Fig. 1) to the longitudinal angle beam or frame ings 35 for the lower idler wheels are slidably member 18 disposed at the opposite side of the hopper. Adjustment may be made in the attachment of the right hand or inner ends of brace angles 17 in any suitable manner, as by providing a series of apertures in the attachment ends of angles 17 through any one of which bolts 19 may extend, said bolts engaging apertured portions of the hopper frame beam 18.

The upright standards 10 may be conveniently constructed from H-beams and have opposed guide channels 100; in which are slidably mounted vertical channels 20 of the supporting frame for the excavating and dirt removing mechanism. Vertical channels 20 are rigidly secured together, as shown, by horizontal H-bars 21 at their upper and lower ends forming a rigid rectangular supporting structure which is slidably and adjustably supported in the vertical guide portions of standards 10. Overhanging angle bars 22 are rigidly secured at their inner ends to the lower web of the upper H-bar 21 and extend laterally from the longitudinal side of the tractor frame; and outwardly projecting fiat bars 23 extend laterally from and are rigidly attached to the lower flange of the lower H-bar 21, said flat bars 23 being vertically aligned with the overhanging angle bars 22 respectively. A relatively wide vertical channel 24 rigidly connects each of the overhanging angles 22 with its cooperating bar 23 and the frame so formed is additionally strengthened by diagonal braces 25 secured at their upper ends to angle bars 22 and at their lower ends to the channel members 24. The lower ends of channels 24 as Well as the outer ends of fiat bars 23 are rigidly secured together by means of a horizontal angle bar 26. Additional diagonally disposed bracing means may be provided at the upper and lower sides of the box-like rectangular supporting frame above described.

Said supporting frame is adjustably supported by suitable means, such as heavy cables 27 which as shown are secured at their stationary ends to additional brackets 10b mounted adjacent the: upper ends of standards 10 and said cables pass beneath sheaves 28 which are journally connected to the upper ends of the supporting frame by means of brackets 29. Cables 27 are then passed around sheaves 30 mounted at the upper ends of standards 10 and as shown being journaled on a horizontal shaft 31 which extends longitudinally of the machine between the upper ends of standards 10. The opposite ends of cables 27 are at-' tached to the reels 32a of a windlass shaft 32 which may be conveniently journaled in bearings 33, as shown, mounted on the diagonal angle braces 1'? located adjacent the right hand side of the hopper H. Windlass shaft 32 is preferably connected for driving with a transmission mechanism (not shown) which is adapted to drive in both forward and reverse directions.

Externally of the overhanging supporting frame for the excavating mechanism and adjacent each of three of the corners thereof I mount a pair of flanged idler wheels 34, the flanges of said wheels being disposed outwardly and oppositely. Said idler wheels as shown are journaled in split bearings '35 and each of the two lower corners of the frame is provided with a set of said idlers and also the upper rear corner of the frame. The bearsfirews engaging the upper ends of bearings 35,

of the wheel sides 41 and retain the sameagainst outward lateral. displacement. Large. internal. gears 42 are provided-by each of the wheel sides.

i ferentially arranged gear teeth in the form of lugs suitable means such as a pair-of nuts 365 being provided to facilitate adjustment.

"At the upper and forward corner of the overhanging supporting frame and externally thereof a short pinion shaft 37'is journaled, said shaft having afixed thereto a pair of spaced driving pinions 38. Said shaft extends. inwardly to a point approximately above the left hand longitudinal edge of hopper H and is connected by a universal coupling mechanism 39 with a driving shaft 40 which may be connected with the transmission mechanism previously referred to or any suitable source of power which is provided with means for driving in forward and reverse directions and preferably at a plurality of speeds.

The embodiment of my dirt removing and excavating mechanism comprises a substantially rigid wheel revolubly mounted upon the supporting idler wheels 34 and driving pinions 38. I. also contemplate the use of endless flexible excavating mechanism of the conveyor or chain and bucket type.

The structure of the endless carrier or rigid wheel illustrated comprises a pair of spaced annular side members 41 the inner edges of which sure round and are supported upon the idler wheels 34 and also cylindrically bossed portions 38a of the driving .pinions 38. The flanges of the idler wheels 34 and also the toothed flange of the driving pinions 38 overlap the inner peripheral edges and while any suitable structure may be utilized, the form disclosed comprises a series of circumprojected outwardly from the outer. sides of the respective wheel members 41 and extending substantially normal to the planes of said wheel sides, which internal gears are constantly meshed with t he two driving .pinions 33 respectively. Wheel sides .41 are spaced apart and rigidly connected by means of U-shaped supporting bars 43 (see particularly Fig. 5) and said supporting barsare circumferentially arranged with respect to the wheel and rigidly carry a series of inwardly extending rods 44 which extend radially of the wheel and constitute a series of reticulated dividers the purpose of which will later be explained. The said radial dividers separate the interior of the wheel defined by the sides 41. into a plurality of dirt receiving sectors and medially disposed of said sectors and mounted transversely upon the external periphery of the wheel are a series of shiftable excavating buckets or scoops 45. While these scoops may vary considerably in shape and size,

the form illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 was found highly satisfactory for thework intended. The

scoop illustrated is of general U-shaped constructionhaving a somewhat flared outer soil cutting portion or body 4564, which iszpivotally connected to the annular sides 41 of the wheel bybossed attaohment'ends 45b. Headed pivots46 connect the attachment flanges of the buckets with the sides and are applied as shown on the inner surfaces of the wheel sides and spring friction clips 4? are during thenormal revolution of the wheel. The

shovelsorscoops 45 are each provided with a pair endless carrier or wheel 41.

of oppositely disposed edges or. elements for cutting dirt. vAs shown the oppositetedges ofthebuckets are sharpened although I contemplate the use of detachable cutting edges or cutting fingers for engaging and-removing dirt. The widths of the bodies 450, 'of the scoops or buckets are such that,-when the scoops are disposed either in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 or in the dotted line position, one-of the edges of each scoop will be disposed in juxtaposition to one of the radial dividers.

A stationary cut off rim 43 is disposed concentrically of the wheel comprising an annular plate and occupies the position just inwardly of the inner peripheral edges of said wheel sides traversing the space between the two annular sides 41. This rim may be rigidly supported from any suitable attachment means connected with; theoverhanging supporting frame and as shown I provide attachment lugs 49 integrally formed with the split bearings 35 for the idler wheels to which the rim 48 is secured. Other attachment brackets 50 may beprovided which are riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the inter-- nal periphery of rim 48. Him 48 encompasses. the internal periphery of the wheel with. the exception of a portion at the top thereof. -At said portion the rim 48 is provided with a cut off or discharge passage 48a which may be formed by breaking the upper portion of the rim and turningthe broken or open ends thereof downwardly at 485, which depending ends may telescope with the vertical longitudinal sidesuof a cross conveyor 51. The cross conveyor is mounted in a frame'coinprising, as shown, a pair of spaced Z-bars 52 to the outer flanges of which are secured elongated guide plates or conveyor sides 53. Rollers 54 are journaled in the 0pposite ends of the guide plates 53 respectively and and endless apron or belt 55 is trained about said rollers andthe upper run thereof also .passes over a series of small spaced supporting rollers 56 journaled between the guide plates 53. The roller 54 at the receiving end of the conveyor is journaled on a dead shaft 540/. which acts as pivotally connected. with depending supporting plates 57 which are secured transversely across the upper portion of the overhanging supporting frame for the excavating mechanism. The

cross conveyor is angularly adjustable upon the axis ofshaft 54a and. may be held. in a desired. adjusted position by suitable means such as vertical adjustment screws 60 which threadedly engage elements of V-shaped plates 61 rigidly carried by the sides of the conveyor frame. The lower ends of adjustment screws 60 abut the horizontal webs of short angle bars 61a which may be rigidly secured to the upper portions *of the overhanging supporting frame.

The roller 54 at the delivery end of the conveyor is fixed to a shaft 58 which shaft may be journaled in slide bearings 58c adjustably mounted in the conveyor sides 53 and which are adjusted by belt tightening devices 59. ,Shaft 58 is drivably connected with a source of power, preferably the source of power for driving the An inclined end plate 62 is rigidly and suitably mounted at the receiving end of the cross conveyor and .pref-.. 1

erably extends from endless belt 55 upwardly to the inner peripheral edge of one of the annular side members 41 of the wheel.

Forwardly. of the dirt removing and excavating mechanism is mounted a cooperating planeing and back sloping device which is also projected, as shown from the left hand longitudinal side of the tractor or vehicle. Said structure includes a plow beam 64 which is loosely fulcrumed and connected at its forward end with a heavy attachment bracket 65 suitably affixed, as shown, to the lower front corner of the hopper frame. Heavy pins 64a are disposed at opposite sides of the upstanding portion of attachment bracket 65 confining the beam 64 against longitudinal displacement in either direction. The rear end of beam 64 carries a projecting stub 64?; which is pivotally connected with an inclined supporting bar 66 and also with a substantially horizontally extending bar 67, the opposite ends of said bars being suitably connected at widely spaced points with a vertical supporting member, as shown, in the form of a channel member 68, which channel member is slidably mounted in the forwardly disposed guide channel provided by the H-beam which comprises the forward vertical standard 10. Channel 68 may have aiiixed to its upper end a screw sleeve 69 (see dotted lines Fig. 2) which threadedly engages a vertical adjusting screw 70 fixed to a crank handle 71 which is mounted at the top of forward vertical standard 10.

The plow beam 64 is provided at its rear end with a heavy laterally projecting attachment arm I 640 to which the mold board '72 of the planer or back sloper is pivotally and reversably connected.

The reversible connection of said mold board is well shown in Figs. 7 and 8. A heavy attachment tongue '73 is hinged adjacent the inner end of the mold board on an axis extending transversely of said mold board and said attachment tongue '73 is pivotally connected by a heavy bolt 7% with arm 640 of the plow beam. The periphery of attachment tongue '73 is substantially circular and is provided as shown with a pair of retaining notches or recesses 73a disposed slightly more than 180 degrees apart. A retaining latch '75 extends substantially perpendicular to the at tachment arm 64c and attachment tongue '73 and is hinged by means of a pivot 75a to a lug provided in the attachment arm of the plow beam, the free end of said latch Working through a slot in attachment arm 64c and engaging the periphery of attachment tongue '73 to lock said tongue to the plow beam in two different or reversed positions as shown by the full and dotted lines respectively in Fig. '7. Mold board '72 may carry the conventional detachable cutting edges 72a seated in off set longitudinal marginal portions of the mold board. It will be noted that a cutting edge is provided at each longitudinal edge of mold board '72. The back of mold board '72 is reinforced by means of a rigidly secured longitudinally extending pipe '76 and an upstanding elbow 7'7 is rotatably telescoped in the outer end of said pipe, the upwardly projecting end of said elbow constituting a socket for rotatably accommodating the straight depending pin 78a of a'curved arm or thrust element '78. The shank of arm '78 is telescoped within a sleeve '79 and rigidly secured thereto and the rear end of sleeve '79 receives a curved rod or rigid connection 80 and is adjustably and non-rotatively connected therewith by means of one or more bolts 81 adapted to engage a series of apertures formed in sleeve '79. The rear end of curved rod 80 is diminished at its extremity for insertion and attachment in one or the other of two recessed portions of a strong attachment bracket 82 rigidly aifixed to the upper forward corner of the overhanging suporting frame for the digging wheel.

Said diminished end of rod 80 may also be inserted in an aperture 83 formed in one of the.

annular side plates 41 of the wheel, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, the purpose of this connection being to effect a power adjustment means of the crank type for varying the angulation of the back sloper or planer in certain operations of the machine.

It will be noticed that the pivotal connection of elbow '7'7 with pipe '76 and the pivotal connection of curved arm 78 with the upstanding socket of elbow 7'7 cooperate to provide a universal connection or coupling between the outer end of the mold board and its connection with the machine. An end thrust link 84 is pivoted at its inner end to the rear portion of plow beam 64 and has a turned outer end pivoted between attachment lugs 76a. disposed at the intermediate portion of the back of mold board '72 and more precisely carried by the reinforcing pipe '76. Said link 84 relieves both the outward and inward thrust placed upon the back sloper structure.

Adjustable means are provided for varying the angulation of mold board '72 with respect to the horizontal and as shown said means comprise a threaded sleeve 85 pivotally connected at its lower end with the outer portion of the mold board. Said pivotal connection may be effected by providing an attachment lug 77a upon an upstanding portion of elbow 7'7. Sleeve 85 is threadedly connected with an elongated screw 86 which extends upwardly and inwardly toward the frame of the machine being rotatably connected with a heavy bracket 87 secured to the frame work of the tractor or if desired to the frame work of the hopper H. The upper end of screw shaft 86 is provided with a crank handle 86a to facilitate turning of the same.

Operation the left hand side of the machine. The overhanging supporting frame for the wheel is conveniently adjusted for eifecting digging at the requisite depth or height through the operation of the Windlass shaft 32. Upon revolution of the wheel in clockwise direction the digging shovels 45 will automatically be shifted to the position indicated in full lines in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawings and will cut and remove material, the roe tative movement of the wheel or carrier foreing the removed dirt or material inwardly into the sector shaped carrier chambers defined by the dividers 44. The material is elevated to the top of the wheel through the cooperation of the stationary cut off rim 48 and at the top of the onto cross conveyor 55. Cross conveyor 55 as shown is positioned to deliver the dirt and material to hopper H but may be positioned to dump material at the outside of the wheel, which is desirable in ditch digging. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the cross conveyor may be driven in reverse direction and will discharge wheel drops through the discharge passage 4811 the material through the open center of the wheeloutwardlythereof- In certain operatio'ns,suchas in diggingrocky soilit is sometimes ofadvantage to revolve the carrier member or wheel counter-clockwise when the machine istraveling in'aforward direction, to enable the digging wheel to climb overlarge rocks. and throw the same rearwardly in the trench or ditch. The transmission mechanism is accordingly shifted to a'desired reverse speed and thecounter-clockwise movement ofthe digger wheel automatically effects the shifting of the shovels 45'from the position shown'in full lines in- Fig. 4 to the position shown in dottedlines; The resilient clipse'l afford sufficient friction to yieldingly hold the shovels until the revolution of the wheel is reversed.

It will benoted that due to the-overhanging supporting frame for the endless carrier or wheel, adjustment considerably above or below the level of the ground upon which the vehicleis traveling may be readily effected. Thus I may cut and remove a bank of even greater-height than the diameter of my carrier wheel as well as dig a ditch of considerable depth. 7

The cut or ditch formed by the digging wheel may be inclined from the vertical within certain limits by adjusting or tilting the upright standards 10. This is effected by releasing clamping bolts 12a which rigidly connect brackets 12 of the standards to the slotted attachment plates 13. It is also necessary for adjustment to release the bolts 19 which adjustably secure the diagonal angle bars 17 with the right hand side s cutting elements to the dotted line positions shown in Fig. 4. It will, of course, be apparent that for heavy work in digging rocky soil the wheel if desired may be revolved in a clockwise direction when the machine is traveling rear- Wardly over the ground.

In most excavating or digging machinery of the endless carrier type the digging mechanism can out only below the level of the ground upon which the vehicle or machine is supported. By

, the use of my overhanging supporting frame for the digger wheel positioned beyond the tracks or supporting wheels at one of the sides of the machine I am able to elevate the wheel above the lower runs of the tracks or wheels of the vehicle and can advantageously cut a high bank at the side of the machine.

When the excavating or digging wheel is operated in conjunction with the back sloper as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, assuming the ma- V chine is traveling in a forwardly direction it will be seen that the material planed by the blade of the back sloper may be directed inwardly to a position directly in advance of the forward edge of the wheel and said material will be collected by the shovels 45, elevated to the top of the wheel and discharged upon the cross conveyor. It will also be apparent from an inspection of the dotted line position of the back sloper illustrated in Fig. 3 that if desired the back sloper or planer may be lowered to a substantially horizontal position and secured or connected with thepe'ripheral portion of one of the annular sides 41 of the wheel by means of the connection, 'including the adjustablyunitedparts 78, 8l and in' whichin'stance the digging wheel remains normally-stationary and is-rnomentarily operated through 'short oscillationsin clockwise or counterclockwise directions -to act as a power adjustment for varying the angulation ofthe mold board 72 of-the planer so that material maybe planed and moved inwardly toward the tractor or vehicle or outwardly as desired,

Another important function obtained by the cooperation of my rotary digging 'mechanism with the planer or back sloper is the efficient and practical use of the machinefor laying sewers, hollow tile and pipe lines. In this connection the excavating wheel is adjusted by lowering its overhangingsupporting'frame to cut a ditch of the desired depth, the cross conveyor including the belt 551s driven in reverse direction to discharge material outwardly of the wheel and the mold board 72 of the back sloper is reversed as shown in the dotted linepositions in Fig. 7 and adjusted a proper distance from the digger wheel to scrapematerial into the ditch, filling the same, taking the'place of a back' filler. The'machine travels during'such operation in a rearwardly di-'- rection and at a very slow speed and preferably with the carrier wheel revolving in counter-clockwise direction. The sectional sewer pipes, tiles and the like are telescopically laid directly behind the wheel and in advance of the back sloper and are successively covered in the manner previously described.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, proportions and arrangement of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth and in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In excavating machinery, a vehicle or tractor, an auxiliary supporting frame supported from said vehicle and having supporting members projecting laterally from said vehicle, a movable carrier member surrounding said projecting members and supported for movement thereon, said carrier member thus being unobstructed from top, bottom, front and rear and a series of excavating elements mounted on said carrier and adapted to cut, remove and elevate material, said excavating elements having blades provided with oppositely disposed cutting edges and having turned attachment portions pivotally secured adjacent their extremities to the exterior sides of said carrier member and means for driving said carrier in forward and reverse directions.

2. In excavating mechanism, a wheel comprising a pair of spaced annular side members, means for rotatively moving said Wheel, a stationary rim constituting a cut off disposed concentrically of said wheel and traversing the space between said side members, said rim having an opening in the upper portion thereof constituting a material discharge, a series of substantially radial dividers mounted between said side members and defining a series of circumferentially arranged compartments and a series of circumferentially arranged excavating elements carried by said wheel and each associated with one of saidcompartments.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 and a conveyor having a receiving end mounted within said wheel and disposed beneath said material discharge.

I 4. In excavating machinery, a frame mounted for travel over the groiuid, an excavating wheel mounted in said frame atone of the longitudinal sides thereof, means for driving said wheel forwardly and rearwardly, a back-sloping and planing member mounted on said longitudinal side of said frame and swingably adjustable and means whereby a connection may be made between said wheel and said back-sloping and planing member for adjusting said member by power.

5. In excavating and plowing machinery, a frame mounted for travel over the ground in forward and rearward directions and soil cutting mechanism mounted on said frame and including a cutting element comprising a shiftable plate having upturned attachment portions and a body or blade terminating in oppositely disposed cutting edges, one extending toward the front of the machine and one extending toward the rear of the machine.

6. In excavating machinery, a frame mounted for travel over the ground in forward and reared on said frame and comprising a movable carrier member having spaced sides defining a channel, means for driving said carrier member and a series of shiftable cutter elements mounted on said carrier member, said cutter elements comprising body portions or blades having apair of oppositely disposed cutting edges, said cutter elements also having turned attachment portions pivoted to the exterior sides of said carrier member on axes disposed inwardly of said body portion. 7

7. In excavatin machinery, a frame mounted for travel over the ground in forward and rearward directions, excavating mechanism mounted on said frame and including a wheel comprising a pair of spaced annular side members, means for rotating said wheel, means cooperating with the side members of said wheel to form an an nularly arranged channel, a series of circumferen: tially arranged excavating elements carried by said wheel, each comprising a body portion traversing said annular side members and disposed outwardly thereof and each having a pair of inwardly extending attachment portions pivoted to said annular side members on an axis extending inwardly considerably of said body portion, said body portion having oppositely disposed cutting edges.

I -IANS R. MILLER. 

